Fruit transfer apparatus



Jan. 31, 1961 E. R. MCCLELLAND. 2,969,867

FRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 1INVEN TOR [Mia/06! z/vztzizmlw 14a la- Jan. 31, 1961 E. R. M CLELLANDFRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 2Jan. 31, 1961 E. R. MCCLELLAND 2,969,867

FRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 3IFlllI-IIIIII Jan. 1961 E. R. MCCLELLAND 2,969,867

FRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR [77/50/065 2, Media 4N0 may Jan. 31, 1961 E. R. MCCLELLAND2,969,867

FRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Im' a 72 74 7/ a O 62 o IN V EN TOR [77/59/065 @MtCZflZI/YD Jan. 31, 1961E. R. MCCLELLAND 2,969,867

' FRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTOR [77/59/065 8 MICZiZli/VD BY M- Jan. 31, 1961 Original FiledAug. 12, 1952 E. R. M CLELLAND FRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS 9 Shets-Sheet 7"mums Jan. 31, 1961 E, R. MGCLELLAND FRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS OriginalFiled Aug. 12, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Jan. 31, 1961 E. R. MOCLELLANDFRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 12, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 9dawz WW SW arm Q FRUIT TRANSFER APPARATUS Etheridge R. McClelland, SanPablo, Califi, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Filper Corporation, a. corporation of CaliforniaOriginal application Aug. 12, 1952, Ser. No, 303,913,

now Patent No. 2,786,562, dated Mar. 26,1957. Di-

' vided and this application- Jan. 16, 1957, Ser. No.

5 Claims. (Cl. 198-33) This application is a division of my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 303,913, filed August 12, 1952,.now Patent No.2,7 86,5 62.

The present invention relates to apparatus for the positioning ororientation of fruit articles and is concerned more particularly withapparatus of the above character in which the fruit such as peaches,after being automatically oriented is conveyed to a feed position andthen is fed to a pitting mechanism.

It is the general object of the invention to provide orienting means ofa vertical character which provides for an improved orienting action,economy ofspaee in a cannery, for ease of feeding of the fruit, andwhich facilitates transfer to the pitting mechanism.

Another general object of the invention is to provide improved transfermeans for taking fruit from an oriented 'positionand placing it inproperly oriented position in the pitter for the pitting operation. v

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowingdeseriptio'n' of a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the orienting apparatus;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view with the orienting pockets omittedfrom the view;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken in plane's indicated bythe line '33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the line4-4 in Figure I;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevational view'takeri as indi- "cated by theline 5-5 in Figure 13;

' Figure 5a is a detail section on the line Sit- 51i of Figure 5;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as in- (heated by theline 6-6 in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line7-7 in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a sectional elevational view taken as indicated by the line88 in Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but at a point spaced above thetransfer means shown in Figure 8 illustrating different positions of theorienting pockets;

Figure 10 is -a view similar to Figure '5' but showing the transfer jawsopen with respect to a peach;

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional and part elevational view of thefruit transfer apparatus indicated at the lower end portion of Fig. 1.

1 Figure 12. is a view similar to Figure 11, but showing a differentoperative position of the parts; p

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figures 11 and 12 showing still anotheroperative position of. the parts; and

Figure 14 is a schematic view of the transfer mech anism illustratingthe timing. 7

' Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the orienting andpositioning apparatusof the instant invention includes generally an orienting unit 20supported in upright position 2,969,867 Patented Jan. 1961 2 on aframework 21 secured to a peach pitter 22 of con ventional construction.A transfer mechanism 23 is provided for effecting transfer of orientedfruit from the orienting unit 20 to the pitter 22, and the orienter isfed by a feed unit 24 which supplies one peach at a time to theorienting unit 20.

The orienting unit 20 as stated above is of the upright type, and asshown herein, occupies no more floor space with reference to the peachpitter than that occupied by an operator manually feeding fruit to thepitter. The orienting unit 20 comprises generally an endless series ofpocket structures carried vertically up through a path in which fruitmay be fed thereto and then vertically downward through an orientingpath, during which the orientation of the fruit is accomplished, firstwith respect to location of the fruit by the stem indent in the fruitand thereafter location of the fruit with respect to its suture line, sothat the fruit will be in proper position when it is transferred to thepitting unit to be split in a plane containing the natural divisionbetween the two pit halves of the fruit. The orienting unit 20 (Figures1, 2, 3 and 4) has a frame structure including two opposed upright basecastings 31 and 32 secured to and above the framework 21, and respectiveside plates 33 and 34 secured adjacent the upper end of the respectivebase castings 31 and 32' and extending upwardly therefrom. Side plates33 and 34 are provided with stiffening angles 36' and 37, respectively,which also serve as inoun'ting brackets. At the upper end of therespective side plates 33 and 34, there are provided journal brackets 38and 39 adjustably secured thereon and carrying at the upper endrespective bosses 41 for the support shaft 42 of a pair of idllesprockets 43 for respective parallel'chains' 44 whitherte'nd downwardlyand are trained about a pair of drive sprockets 46 mounted on adriveshaft 47 carried insuitable bosses of the basecasting's 31 and 32.To insure linear travel of the stretches of the chains 44 extendingbetween the respective sprockets, guide strips 48 are secured in spacedrelation at either edge of respective plates 33 and 34 by suitablebrackets 49 spanning the portions of chain passing therethrough. ,n

The drive for the shaft 47 is through agear 51 (Figure 2) securedthereon which meshes with a smaller gear 52 on a second drive shaft53journaled insiiitablebosses of the base castings 31 and 32, the shaft53 also carries a gear 54 meshing with a gear 56 journaled on the driveshaft 47 and connected to a sleeve 57 carrying a drive sprocket 58. Asseen in Figure l, the drive 58 is connected by a chain drive 59 tosuitable driving mechanism of the pitter 22.

The endless series of orienting'devicesor pocket structures carried bythe respective chains 44 are" operated to secure a rapid hunting andlocation of the stem indent of the fruit placing the indent in a desiredposition, and then to provide for automatic alignment of the suture lineof the fruit in a given position. In the embodiment shown, this desiredposition is with the vplane of the" suture passing through the desiredplane of splitting of the fruit and is parallel to the plane of theview-inFigure '1 and with the stem-blossom axis of the fruit vertical,the stem cavity being located downward. s seen in Figures 1, 3 4 and8,.the chains 44 carry aseries of equallyspaced vapart pocket structures60 which have fruit receiving pockets on either side thereof, one pocketbeing effective during the feed of the fruit to the orienting mechanismand the other pocket being effective during orientation of the fruit.Each pocketstructure 60 comprises an L-shaped frame 61-62 having a pairof aligned bosses 63 atone end, by means of which it is pivoted one pairof aligned extended pivot pins 64 of the chains 44. The frame portion 61extends along the chain and at the other end is provided with a pairofslots 65 engaging opposite side walls of the frame portion 62.

3 a second pair of extended pivot pins 64, so that during the linearportion of the travel of the chain, the pocket structure 60 will bepositively located in position. The slots 65 accommodate the relativemovement between the chains and the frame when the pocket structure ispassing around a turn in its path of travel.

The frame 61-62 (Figures 1, 3 and 8) also includes a laterallyprojecting apertured portion or boss 62 which provides a mounting forthe pocket element 66. The pocket element 66 is provided on one sidewith a concave surface or feed pocket 66a having crossed ribs 67 (Figure3) for supporting a fruit therein after feeding of the fruit theretoduring the upward travel of a pocket I structure 60. As a pocketstructure 60 rounds the turn at the top of the apparatus, its feedpocket66a discharges its fruit, with the assistance of a guide chute 70, intothe orienting pocket of the preceding pocket structure 60. The otherside of each pocket element forms 1' a concave orienting pocket 66bprovided with an elongated bottom opening 68. The pocket member 66 ismounted for rocking movement aboutv a transverse axis in the pocketstructure, and for this purpose is provided with opposite threadedapertures to receive pivot pins or studs 69 suitably journaled inaligned apertures in the It will be seen that the axis of this rockingmovement of the pocket structure is horizontal and lies in a planeparallel to the path of travel of the chain.

An elongated orienting means is mounted in the pocket structure boss 62(Figures 3, 5 and 9) and comprises a shaft 71 journaled respectively inbushings 72 in aligned apertures in the frame 6162 and extending througha central aperture in alignment with opening 68. shaft 71 isrotatablearound a substantially horizontal axis and has two'end shaft orsuture locating parts or portions 73 of reduced diameter at either sideof the pocket joined to two central conical or indent locating parts orportions 74 having a common knurled apex connection 76. The portions 74and 73 of the shaft are eccentric with respectto the endmost journalingportions of the shaft 71 so that in addition to its rotative movementthe orienting portions 73 and 74 are given a jogging movement having anup and down component and a horizontal component with respect to a fruitin the pocket. I The sprocket 77 is mounted on the end of each shaft 71for rotation of the elongated orienting member during its downwardtravel along the orienting path. This sprocket 77 -meshes with a chain78 (Figure 2) and the chain 78 travels over a plurality of idlersprockets 79 and is driven from a'drive sprocket 81on a-constantlyrunning motor 82 secured on the frame structure 21. The spacing andlocation of the sprocket 79 provides an upwardly moving straight stretch78a of the chain guided by the angle 37 and which coincides with thetravel of projecting control arm 83 carrying a roller 84 at the endthereof which engages an elongated cam member or track 86 carried by theangle 36 and having a succession of cam rises 86a and 86b. The arm 83 isspring urged counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 9, by a coil spring87 extending between the journal pin 88 for the roller 84 and a suitablefastening 89 (Figure 3) on the frame of the pocket structure. The camrises 86b being spaced The to hold the pocket element 66 level duringpick-up of a fruit, and an end rise 86a! to aid in fruit removal.

The operation of the orienting structure in providing the desiredlocation of a fruit during its travel along the orienting path will bedescribed in detail hereinafter.

The transfer mechanism disclosed herein comprises means for grasping anoriented peach while it is resting in the cup and means for swinging thepeach from the orienting mechanism and impaling it in oriented positionupon a blade of a peach pitter, this mechanism being operated insynchronism with the peach pitter. The transfer mechanism includes meansfor traveling in a linear direction with the orienting apparatus and thepeach in a pocket structure therein, so as to pick upthe peach securelyin its oriented position and thereby present it in the desired positionto the peach pitting mechanism.

Referring to Figures 1, 5 and 11, the transfer mechanism includes a pairof opposed peach gripping jaws 131 carried at the upper ends ofrespective arms 132 and 133. The jaws 131 present respective concavesurfaces to grip the peach having transverse ribs 134 on the peachgripping surface. The jaw levers 132 and 133 are connected by a link 136pivoted respectively to the inwardly projecting arm portions 137thereof. The pivot pins 138 for the respective arms 132 and 133 aremounted in spaced apart apertured ears 132a and 1330 and in respectivebosses 139 at the upper end of a swinging bracket member 141. Member 141has respective split clamping bosses 142 which engage a shaft 143supported by respective links 144 pivotally connected at their upperends to respective eccentric drive pins 146 on the drive shaft 53. Thepins 146 are carried respectively to the gear 54 and a cam member 147referred to hereinafter. A movementcontrol link 151 (Figures 1, 5 and11) for the pivot shaft 143 and brackets has a pair of bosses 152 havingjournaled engagement with the shaft 143 and extending to the lefttherefrom as shown in Figure 11 and having a boss 153 pivoted on a crossshaft 154 extendin between the respective frame castings 31 and 32.

. From the above description it will be seen that operation of the links144 by their eccentric drive serves to move the jaws 131 vertically in atimed movement, and means are also provided to rock the jaw-supportingbracket in timed relation to the vertical movement, and to open andclose the jaws also in timed relation to the other two movements. Tocontrol rocking movement of the jaws to and from the orienting apparatusand the pitter, i.e., between the positions thereof shown in Figures 8and 11, the support bracket 141 (Figures 5 and 11) has a boss 161 whicha pivot pin 162 is mounted for a control link 163 which extends upwardlyand to the left therefrom as shown in Figure 11, and has a pivotalconnection at 164 with a lever 166 at its upper end pivotally mounted at167 in a boss 168 of the frame bracket 32 (Figure 2). Intermediate itsends the lever 166 (Figure 11) has a cam follower roller 166a engagedwith a cam track 169 in the cam member 147 and the movement of the lever166 under the control of the cam track 169 produces a back and forthmovement of the jaws about their pivotal axis 143 in timed relation tothe opening and closing thereof and in timed relation to the raising andlowering of their pivot axis 143. The cam 169 provides effectively adwell at each end of the movement so that the path of the jaws 131 asindicated in Figures 11 and 14 closer together than the cam rises 86aand located near I the end of the travel along the orienting path nearits lower end, the cam track 86 has a st aight portion 860 include avertical portion 171 when the jaws are in alignment with a pocketstructure and are traveling downwardly at the same rate of speed beingmoved from open to closed position as later described, a portion 172 inwhich the jaws are traveling toward the impaling blade 173 of the peachpitter, an end portion 174 in which the jaws have a slight movementalong the impaling blade 173 and then a return path of movement 176 whenthey are'returned to the upper portion of the path 171.

As previously stated, means are provided for opening and closing thejaws in timed relation to the orient-ing apassess? g paratus and thepeachpitter so that they are closed upon a peach in a pocket. The pocketthen'recedesfrom the peach and the peach .is then transferred to theblade 173 with the jaws closed and after impaling of the peach upon theblade 173, the jawsare opened and returned in their opened condition toalignment with the next succeeding pocket structure of the orientingapparatus. Referring to Figures 5, 8, 10 and 11, the arm .133 for one ofthe jaws 131 is provided with a depending portion 181 which has a splitend carrying respective pivot pins .182 (Figures and 5a) engaging anaper'tured block 183 which receives a shaft 184 whose head I86-ispositioned for engagement with a stop screw 187 which closing movementof the jaws. The reduced thread end v188 of the shaft 184 carries athimble 1 89 passing freely through a. boss 191 of the bracket member141. Aspring .192 surrounds the shaft 184 and is engaged with the block183 at one end and an apertured fiange'194;of an operatingniember 196having respective bosses 197 and .198 slidably engaged with the shaft143. A washer 195 is placed on shaft 184 between flange .194 and the endof the thimble 189.

The operating sleeve or member 196 (FiguresS and 7) is provided with aslotted portion 199 which is engaged by a pin 201 secured in a dependingarm of a bellcrank 292 which is pivoted-by a pin 203 in thebracketmember 141. The other arm of the bellcrank 202 is pivotally connected toa link 204 (Figures 5, 10 and 11) which is connected at its upper end toa cam follower member 206 which has a boss 207 pivoted on a pin 208carried by the frame casting 32. The cam follower lever 206 has a camfollower roller 211 engaging in the cam track 1.69m trailing relationwith respect to the cam roller 166a of the jaw swinging mechanism. Thejaws 131 (Figures 11 and .12) are moved from open to closed positionduring travel of the jaws along their path portion 171, remain closedduring the travel of the jaws along their path portion 172, are openednear the end of their travel along the path portion 174 and remain openduring their travel along .the path portion 176.

It will be seen that the jaw closing movement is effected through thespring 192 (Figures 5 and 10) so that the jaws 131 yieldably engage apeachand accommodate themselves to differences in diameter. Also theadjustment of thimble 189 determines the amount and timing of positiveopening movement of the jaws.

In the pi tter, there is provided a pusher or feeder of conventionalconstruction for engaging the peach impaled on the blade 173 after it isreleased by the jaws 131 and this pusher comprises a pin 216 (Figure 1)having a tapered end for engaging the stern indent of the peach, the pin216 being carried at the upper end of a. swinging arm 217 which ispivotally mounted at 218 and operated through an arm 219 and a link 221from a suitable drive mechanism of a conventional peach pitter. Thispitter may be of the type disclosed in the patent to Perrelli et al.,No. 2,336,123. 7

The operation of the apparatus will be described with reference topeaches. Peaches are fed one by one by the pocket 91 (Figure 1) of asuitable feed mechanism as described and claimed in my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 634,545, filed January 16, 1957, now Patent No.2,929,488, to the respective feed pockets 66a. which are in peachreceiving position in the ascending run of the pocket structures 60.These peaches as they are carried around the upper turn of the pocketpath (Figure 1) are deposited from the feed pocket 66a of one pocketstructure 60 into the orienting pocket 66b of the immediately precedingpocket structure 60, the guide casing or chute .70 being provided toinsure the peach being delivered into the pocket 66b. As a pocketstructure 60 starts its downward travel, the sprocket 77 of the pocketengages the straight run of the chain 78 (which may be either ascendingor descending) and is revolved rapidly with its shaft 71. At about thesame time the roller 84 of the pocket element 66 engages the verticalcam member 86 and is rocked alternately back and forth by the cam rises86a at the upper end of the track. This serves to re-Oiiiit or shift thepeach repeatedly with respectto' its rotating cone structures 74 asshowiiiu Figure '9. The cone poitions 74 operate to revolve the peachrapidly about shifting horizontal until its elongated stern indentbecomes engaged over or registers with the conical portions 74 of theshaft 71 and so turning of the peach about a horizontal axis will cease.By virtue of the reversing of the position of the pocket element '66 asillustrated in Figure 9, the tendency er some peaches to establish .astable position of rotation will beinterrupted, and the stein indentwill be rapidly aligned with the shaft 71 and engaged over the conicalportions 74 thereof. It will be noted in Figure '9 for eiiample, in theupper view, the peach is engaged with the iiglithand conical portion 74,in the middle position, the pocket structure has been oscillatedcounter-clockwise so that the peach has been rolled over to the lefthand conioal portion. In the bottom position the pocket has beenoscillated clockwise so that the peach is again 'en- 'gag'ed with theright hand conical portion 74 and its axis of rotation again shifted.This operation continues as the pocket structures descend and theoscillation of the pocket element 66 is made more rapid by the greaterfrequency of the cam rises 86b as the end of the travel approaches.

As stated above, this indent hunting operation on a peach by theorienting mechanism is to locate the stern indent iii a downwardposition, and then the orienting mechanism operates to orient the peachwith respect to the elongated shape of the stem indent and place it inalignment with the elongated orienting me'mber or shaft 71. It w'il-lberecalled that the conical portions 74 the end shaft portions 73 aremounted ecce'n'trically with respect to their axis of rotation asindicated in Figure 19 for example, so that in addition to the rotativeeffect, there is a continual jogging effect imparted to the peach, whichhas both a vertical and a horizontal component of motion. By virtue ofthe shifting of the peach from one side of the center point 76 of theelongated member, the horizontal component of the jogging action willhave the same turning effect in rotating a misaligned peach about itsstem-blossom axis.

After the stem indent settles over the conical portion 74, the principalorienting effect of the straight shaft sections 73 which are alsoeccentric with respect to their directional rotation, takes place. Tosecure the alignment of thesuture line of the peach in a desiredposition, the jogging and rotating effects of these straight shaftportions 73 operate in the outer more constricted portions of the stemindent. It will be recalled that the rocking movement of pocket element66 continues throughout its orienting travel, so that after the stemindent registers with the conical portions 74 of the shaft 71, therespective shaft sections 73 become active alternately with respect tothe shallow end portions of the stem indent. This is because therelative vertical movement of the orienting means 71, 73, 74, and theelement or support 66, shifts the point of engagement of the orientingmeans parts 73, 73, with the fruit in the support 66 horizontally withreference to the support 66. By reference to Figure 9, it will be seenthat, with the support 66 and orienting means 71 in the positionalrelation .shownat the top of the figure, the outer suture locating means73 is at a comparatively high level relative to the support 66, and theinner suture locating means '73 is at a comparatively low' levelrelative to the support 66. On the other hand, with the support 66 andthe orienting means 71 in the positional relation shown in the middleassembly 66, 71, the inner suture locating means 73 is at acomparatively high level relative to the support 66 and the outer suturelocating means 73 is at a comparatively .low level relative to thesupport 66. The jogging and rotative action or effect of the end shaftportions 73 :serves to rotate the peach about its stem-blossomaxisiunt-ilthe greases 7 shaft sections 73 register with the outer endsof the oval stem indent. This places the suture line of the peach in aplane containing the axis of the orienting shaft 71. In this position,the peach is stable.

It is to be noted that the various orienting actions are applied to thepeach while it is traveling through a vertical path and no forcecomponents are imparted to the fruit by its travel along its path todisturb the orienting action of the pocket structure. Also after a peachis properly oriented, either at the beginning of its travel along theorienting path or near the end, its oriented position will not bedisturbed. The above-described orienting mechanism is claimed in myco-pending application Serial No. 303,913, filed August 12, 1952.

This vertical straight line travel of the peach during orientation andafter it is oriented provides for advantageous pick-up of the peach bythe transfer mechanism, whose jaws 131 travel with the peach duringpick-up.

As the pocket structures 60 arrive at the lowermost part of theirdownward travel as illustrated in Figure 1, the jaws 131 are in the openposition shown in Figure 10, also illustrated in dotted lines in Figure12. Figure 14 illustrates a suitable timing diagram of the variousmovements imparted to the transfer jaws 131, the movements areillustrated from an arbitrary starting point 1, and show the path ofmovement of the jaws 131 and their point of pivotal support andindicates the open or closed condition of the jaws along the path. At oradjacent to the point 3 in the travel of the jaws between pick-up anddelivery position, i.e., when the leading edge of a jaw is past thecenter of the pocket, the jaws will start to close but will not closesufliciently to engage a peach until they begin the straight line pathof travel illustrated in the portion 171 of the path and containing thepoints 4 and 5. The jaws should be closed upon the peach of smallestdiameter by the time they arrive at the point 5. Referring to Figures 8and 10, the jaws 131 start to close upon the peach and also start thevertical downward travel during their path portion 171 during which timethe jaws grasp the oriented fruit and hold it so that the pocketstructure recedes from beneath the fruit leaving it free to be carriedalong the path 172, the pocket element 66 being tipped by the end camrise 86d to provide for clearance of the pocket. The peach then travelsalong the path portion 172 and is impaled on the supporting blade 173 inposition for the advancing peach feed pin or pusher 216 of the pitter toengage the fruit after it is released by the jaws and push it around theblade 173 into the peach pitter for subsequent processing. Subsequentlythe jaws -131 travel back along the upper 'path portion 176 in time forthe next succeeding peach in the next succeeding pocket structure 60.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it will be understood that the invention is capable ofvariation and modification from .the form shown, so that its scopeshould be limited only by the proper scope of the claims appendedhereto.

I claim:

1. In combination with a peach pitter having peach receiving means andan orienting conveyor that includes a row of orienting mechanismsadapted to support and to orient individual peaches upon actuation ofsaid conveyor, said orienting mechanisms being movable along asubstantially straight path in one direction during said actuation ofsaid conveyor for carrying said peaches along said path duringorientation thereof, means connected with said' conveyor forcontinuously actuating the latter, a transfer mechanism adjacent to saidpath and between said peach receiving means and said conveyor includingpeach gripping means adapted to move into gripping engagement with andto remove peaches from said orienting mechanisms following orientationthereof by said orienting mechanisms and to deliver the peaches soremoved to said peach receiving means, mounting means mounting saidpeach gripping means adjacent to said conveyor for movement intogripping and carrying relation to individual peaches on said orientingmechanisms at a point along said path and for movement of said peachgripping means congruently with said conveyor for a predetermineddistance in said one direction along said path, means connected withsaid peach gripping means for moving said peach gripping means intopeach gripping relation during said movement of said peach grippingmeans congruently with said conveyor for said predetermined distance,said mounting means including means connected with said peach grippingmeans for moving .said gripping means when said peach gripping means isin said gripping relation away from said path and to said peachreceiving means after said peach gripping means has moved saidpredetermined distance.

2. In combination with a peach pitterhaving peach receiving means and anorienting conveyor that includes a row of orienting mechanisms adaptedto support and to orient individual peaches upon actuation of saidconveyor, said orienting conveyor including said mechanisms beingmovable downwardly along a substantially straight, generally verticallyextending path of travel during said actuation of said conveyor forcarrying said peaches downwardly in said path during orientationthereof, means connected with said conveyor for continuously actuatingthe latter at a uniform rate of speed, a transfer mechanism between saidconveyor and said peach receiving means including peach gripping meansactuatable upon actuation of said transfer mechanism for movement intogripping relation to an oriented peach on each of said orientingmechanisms at a point in said path and for movement of said peachgripping means in said peach gripping relation to said peach receivingmeans, means connected with said transfer mechanism for said actuationthereof to so move said peach gripping means into said peach grippingrelation during said movement of said orienting conveyor in said path,said transfer mechanism including means for moving said peach grippingmeans downwardly along said path parallel therewith and congruently withsaid orienting mechanisms for a predetermined distance and forsubsequently decelerating the movement of said peach gripping means atthe lower end of said path whereby said orienting mechanism will movedownwardly from beneath a peach gripped by said peach gripping means.

3. In combination with a peach pitter having peach receiving means andan orienting mechanism that includes an endless, generally verticallyextending conveyor for providing a pair of upwardly extending flightsrespectively movable upwardly and downwardly upon actuation of saidconveyor, said conveyor having spaced peach supporting cup structures onsaid flights movable therewith along paths parallel with said flightsand said cup structures each being adapted to support a peach thereon,means connected with said conveyor actuating the same to so move saidflights and cup structures continuously, a pair of opposed peachgripping members, means mounting said members at the lower end of downflight of said conveyor for movement from peach gripping positions atopposite sides of the path of said cup structures and peaches thereon tosaid peach receiving means and vice versa, means mounting said peachgripping members for movement downwardly along said path congruentlywith said cup structures and at the same time toward each other and intoengagement with peaches supported on said cup structures when said peachgripping members are at said opposite sides of said path, and meansconnecting said conveyor with said peach gripping means for so movingsaid peach gripping means toward each other and along said pathcongruently with said cup structures.

4. A transfer device for transferring peaches and the like disposed invertically spaced relation in a descending row thereof from such row toa peach receiving means of a peach pitter, comprising; peach carryingmeans mounted for movement into peach carrying relation with the lowerpeach in such row and for movement from said row to said peach receivingmeans while in said peach carrying relation for carrying said lowerpeach to said peach receiving means and for movement from said peachreceiving means back to said row and into peach carrying engagement withthe succeeding lower peach in said row, means connected with said peachcarrying means for efiecting said movements thereof and for movin saidpeach carrying means out of peach carrying relation at said peachreceiving means, the said means connected with said peach carrying meansincluding means for moving said peach carrying means downwardly apredetermined distance longitudinally of said row when said peachcarrying means is at said row and in a position for engaging the lowerpeach in said row in peach carrying relation and means connected withsaid peach carrying means for progressively moving the latter into peachcarrying relation with the lowermost peach of such row during saidmovement of said peach carrying means downwardly.

5. A transfer device for transferring peaches and the like disposed invertically spaced relation in a descending row thereof from such row toa peach receiving means of a peach pitter, comprising; peach carryingmeans mounted for movement into peach carrying relation with the lowerpeach in such row and for movement from said row to said peach receivingmeans while in said peach carrying relation for carrying said lowerpeach to said peach receiving means and for movement from said peachreceiving means back to said row and into peach carrying engagement withthe succeeding lower peach in said row, mounting means connected withsaid peach carrying means for effecting said movements and for movingsaid peach carrying means out of peach engaging relation at said peachreceiving means, the said means mounting said peach carrying meansincluding means for moving said peach carrying means a predetermineddistance longitudinally of said row when said peach carrying means is atsaid row and in a position for engaging the lower peach in said row inpeach carrying relation, the said mounting means including a pair ofspaced opposed members movable toward each other for gripping the lowerpeach of said row therebetween, and a plurality of links and camsconnected with said members, and a conveyor supporting said peaches insaid row, means connected with said conveyor and operatively connectedwith said links and cams for moving said peach gripping members insynchronism with said conveyor to insure transfer of the successivelower peach in said row.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,512,410 Eldridge Oct. 21, 1924 2,572,773 Slagle Oct. 23, 19512,692,669 Slagle Oct. 26, 1954 2,738,819 De Back et al Mar. 20, 19562,744,613 Hait May 8, 1956 2,769,521 Hait Nov. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS149,910 Australia Feb. 9, 1953

